17 New Packable Lunches to Make for Work This Week

This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread holds everything together. Removing the crusts makes it more delicate than your average sandwich.

Jicama is the crunchy, sweet tuberous root of a legume native to Central America. If you love it in this salad, try including sticks of it with your next crudités spread.

Kohlrabi (a bulbous vegetable related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts but with a milder, sweet flavor) and almonds add crunch to this crowd-pleasing salad. Baked tofu or shrimp can be used instead of the chicken.

Keeping salmon in your freezer means you always have something on hand for dinner, and—bonus!—you can cook it from frozen as we do here.

This one-pan meal packs in lots of plant-based protein and flavor thanks to beans and quinoa, while a creamy lemon-garlic dressing completes the dish. 

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with.

This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

Leftover chicken tinga, pinto beans and bell peppers combine to make a hearty, flavorful rice bowl. Finish with your favorite toppings like avocado and lime wedges.

This salad is loaded with colorful produce: fresh mint, snap peas, radishes and oranges. For pretty snap pea slices, cut them into long, thin strips.

This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.

This chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite.

Hearty kale and potatoes put a seasonal spin on a Greek-style salad featuring feta, olives and cherry tomatoes. Russet potatoes absorb flavor like a sponge, making them a great choice for salads with flavorful vinaigrettes like this one.

Look to root vegetables for hearty winter salads. Technically a tuber rather than a root, sweet potatoes are a member of the morning glory family. They come in a variety of colors—orange-fleshed ones tend to be sweet and creamy, yellow varieties are drier and purple spuds fall somewhere in between. A drizzle of Creole mustard dressing gives this composed salad zing.

A cross between turnip and cabbage, rutabagas have purple-tinged yellow skin and yellow, slightly sweet flesh. Adding this veg along with chicken to this classic side transforms it into a hearty dinner salad.

Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad.

This simple tuna salad with egg has a clean and balanced flavor. The capers and lemon bring acidity to help everything come together and chopped arugula adds a peppery kick. Enjoy it with greens or on a slice of your favorite whole-grain bread.